Spring key or cotter.



.140. 707,256. PatentedAug. 26-, I902.

T. s. BROWN. SPB|NG KEY 0B CUTTER.

(No Modem HCiJ.

IINVENTOR= my WITNESSES:

THOMAS S.

BROWN, or POUGI-IKEEPS'IE, NEW YoRK.

SPRING KEY 0R COTTER. h

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 707,756, dated August 26, 1902. Application filed May 2,1902. Serial No. 105,634. (No model.)

in parallelism,-connected at their rear ends by a loop or bight continuous of both.

The front or free ends of said arms have as to their external faces been provided with circumferentially extending heads or enlargements of uniform radial dimensions, the in-- ner or rear edges of which constitute shoulders for engagement against the distant lip of any opening through which the structure might extend.

The bodies of the semi-cylindric members have been of uniform transverse dimensions from said shoulders rearwardly to a point in 1 the vicinity of the bight or loop.

The heads referred to being of larger diameter than the arms, it has been incident to the use of such devices that upon their insertion into and through an opening sufficiently large to admit of passage of said heads, the arms, which remain in said opening, and are of considerably less diameter than said opening, have rattled against the sides of the same.

In the use of such devices, moreover, it has been usual to drive a tool between the projecting ends of the cotter and wedge them away from each other, thus occasioning a sharp bend in the metal at the bases of the shoulders. v

Prior to removing the cotter, the said heads must be hammered back to normal position, and, ordinarily, in this operation, the heads are broken ofi so that the cotter cannot be again used.

It is theobject of my invention to provide an inexpensive form of spring cotter possessing advantages notpresent in such devices as heretofore constructed.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a spring cotter embodying a good form of my invention.

Figure 2 isa view of the: same in top plan.

Figure 3 is a view of the same in end elevation.

Figures 4 and 5 are sections on the and 5 respectively of Figurel.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

In the accompanying drawings,

a b are the arms of my improved spring cotter, and c is the bight connective of said arms.

The arms as to the outer edges of their front ends are preferably slightly tapered at the point d, as shown.

The two arms instead of being arranged precisely opposite each other, are oppositely bent edgewise so that each is slightly off-set from the other, that is to say, said arms are bent slightly sidewise the one from the other, so that the free end of each has an edge overhanging, or projecting laterally beyond, the corresponding edge of the free end of the other. e

The outer edge portion of each arm in the region from a point in the vicinity of the bight, to a point near its outer end, is of less radius than the inner edge portion, that is to say, is of reduced proportions, or depressed, so to speak, the recess, region of reduced proportion, or depression, extending laterally from the edge of said arm to a vanishing point at the apex of thecurved line bounding the exterior of said arm.

In making these articles by hand, both arms are conveniently originally of the same size, and uniform diametric proportions from end to end, and the recesses or regions of reduced proportions or lesser radius are conveniently produced by filing away the outer edge portion or face of each arm. The formation of the recesses or depressions, of course, results in the formation of a shoulder or head, as illustrated, at the outer edge of each arm, the shoulders being designated f and the heads e.

The depressed edge portion, which at the outer'end of the arm iu'which it is formed, terminates abruptly in the shoulder f, is throughout its length preferably slightly inlines 4 clined, so thatvat itsginner end it merges into the undepressed portion of the arm without forming a shoulder. In manufacturing the articles in quantity, I may resort to the use of dies, drops, or rolls, as may be found most convenient and practicable.

The inner edge portion of each arm is preferably of uniform contour from end to end,

there being no recessed portion,,shoulder, or

head,'in such region. I

My improved cotteris intended to be used in' openings of such diameter that the free ends will snugly fit within them when the arms are manually restored to a position in which the respective side edges of the opposing free ends are in registry with each other. When the parts'have been brought to the position last referred to, and the cotter is introduced into such opening, the free ends of the arms are retained in registry while passing through said opening.

As soon as the shoulders f pass the distant lip of said opening, however, said arms will spring edgewise out into the position shown particularly in Figures 2 and 3, and the respective shoulders will overhang said lip, with the result that the cotter will be firmly retained in position thereby. T

The aggregate diameter of the two arms, upon a central line perpendicular to the plane of their opposing faces, is throughout the length of the arms approximately of full size and the same as it is at the free ends, consequently the opposite external faces of the cotter, at the points intersected by such line,

will be in contact with the walls of the ope'n-f ing, and rattling of the cotter therein be thereby prevented, provided said. cotter be located in an opening not of greater diameter than the free ends of said cotter.

While the shoulders only extend approximately half way around each arm, the conjoint effect of the two such shoulders on opposite sides of the structure, is suificient to retain the cotter in position.

The opposite lateral set given to the two arms causes, of course, a torsion of the metal at the inner end of the structure, but as the loop or bight situated at that point is of considerable dimensions, said torsion is distributed, so to speak, without occasioning any sharp bend of any region of the metal, consequently the free ends of the structure may be set back or restored to a position precisely opposite each other, and the cotter be withdrawn from the opening, and re-inserted, many times without injury.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. A spring cotter comprising a pair of arms suitably united, said arms being set out edgewise the one from the other, so that each has an edge portion projecting edgewise beyond the adjacent edge of the other.

2. A spring cotter comprising a pair of arms suitably united, said arms being at their outer ends each in section as to its external face of approximately semi-circular outline, and as to its inner face approximately flat, said arms being set out edgewise the one from the other, but adapted to be moved edgewise to a position in which their opposing edges are in registry.

3. A spring cotter consisting of-a pair of arms united by a loop, said arms being set out edgewise the one with respect to the other,

- the outer edge of each having an elongated recess or depressed region-terminating in a shoulder near the outer end of the arm.

4. A spring cotter consisting of a pair of arms united by a loop, said arms being set out edgewise the one with respect to the other, the outer edge of each having an elongated recess or depressed region terminating in a shoulder near the outer end of the arm, and which shoulder terminates, circumferentially of said arm, at a ,point on the back of said arm.

5. A spring cotter consisting of a pair of arms united by a loop, said arms being set out edgewise the one with respect to the other,

said arms being of approximately semi-cylincreasing height from a point at the back of the arm to a point at the edge of the arm.

6. A spring cotter consisting of a pair of arms united by aloop, said arms being set out edgewise the one with respect to the other, said arms being of approximately semi-cylindrical section, the outer edge portion of each arm having an elongated depression terminating in a circumferentially extending shoulder at its outer end, said shoulder being of increasing height from a point at the back of the arm to a point at the edge of the arm, the inner edge portion of each arm in the region opposite the shoulder being of uniform dimensions from end to end of such region.

7. A- spring cotter having two arms each of approximately semi-cylindrical section, suitably united set out ed gewise from each other, each, throughout its body on a line perpendicnlar to the plane of its fiat face, of adiameter approximately half the breadth of its inner fla't face at the broadest portion of the latter, each as to one lateral half of its external face of uniform dimensions from end to end, and each as to the other lateral half provided with an elongated depression terminating in a shoulder in the vicinity of its outer end.

8. A spring key or cotter consisting of a pair of arms suitably united, said arms being set out edgewise the one with respect to the other, the outer edge of one arm having a recess or depressed region terminating in a shoulder near the outer end of the arm.

9. A spring cotter or key,consisting of a pair of arms united by a loop, said arms being set out edgewise the one with respect to the other, the outer edge of one of said arms having a recess or depressed region terminating in a shoulder near the outer end of the arm, and p which shoulder terminates, circumferentially of said arm, ata point on the back of said arm.

5 10. A spring cotter or keyconsisting of a pair of arms united by a loop, said arms being set out edgewise the one'with respect to the other, said arms being of approximately semicylindrical section, the outer edge portion of 10 one arm having an elongated depression terminating in a circumferentially extending shoulder at its outer end, said shoulder being of increasing height from a point at the back of the arm toa point at the edge of the arm. n

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as r 5 my invention I have hereunto signed my name this 22dday of April,"A. D. 1902.

THOMAS S. BROWN. 

